DNA Confirms Remains as Travis Decker, Ending Manhunt

DNA testing has confirmed that human remains discovered near Leavenworth, Washington, are those of Travis Decker, the man accused of killing his three daughters. Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison announced the results during a press conference on Thursday, stating, "We can finally bring closure to this dark chapter in Chelan County."

The remains were found on September 19 at an elevation of 4,000 feet on Grindstone Mountain, approximately three-quarters of a mile from the Rock Island Campground where the bodies of Decker's daughters—Paityn, 9; Evelyn, 8; and Olivia, 5—were discovered on June 2. The girls had been suffocated, with plastic bags over their heads and wrists bound with zip ties. DNA evidence linked Decker to the crime scene, with his DNA found on the plastic bags and zip ties used in the killings.

The manhunt for Decker, which spanned nearly four months and covered 2,900 square miles, was the largest in Chelan County's history. Sheriff Morrison expressed hope that the confirmation of Decker's death would bring some measure of closure to the victims' mother, Whitney Decker, and the community. "We understand no matter what, this is not going to bring Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia back. If anything, we just hope [Whitney] would sleep better at night. She wouldn't be looking over her shoulder," Morrison said.

The Chelan County Coroner's Office is investigating to determine the cause and manner of Decker's death, though officials warn that information might never be known. The sheriff's office will proceed with the formal process to close out the criminal case against Decker now that he has been found.